In this specification, the terminologies are defined as follows.
"A photosensitive film magazine" is defined as a magazine in which a photosensitive film is assembled. In this case, the photosensitive film magazine includes a magazine from which one end of the photosensitive film protrudes, and also includes a magazine from which one end of the photosensitive film does not protrude.
"A photosensitive film" is defined as a web-shaped film having photosensitive properties necessary for forming images. In this case, the photosensitive film includes not only a silver halide negative color film of which the support is a film, but also a photosensitive paper, and further the photosensitive film is not limited to a silver halide photosensitive film.
"A master roll" is defined as a roll in which a photosensitive film is wound in the form of a roll. Usually, the master roll includes a roll in which a photosensitive film of several tens or several thousands meters is wound around a core.
"A light shielding tunnel" is defined as a tunnel-shaped passage that is covered with light shielding material. By this light shielding tunnel, rays of light sent from all directions can be substantially shielded.
"A dark room condition" is defined as a condition in which fog is not caused even when a photosensitive film is left in the condition for several hours. Accordingly, the dark room condition is different according to the photosensitive film. For example, in the case of a regular photosensitive film that is photo-sensitive only to rays of light in the blue region, the dark room condition can be maintained under the presence of red light as long as blue light does not exist.
Conventionally, photosensitive film magazines are manufactured in the following manner:
In one apparatus, a master roll of photosensitive film is taken out from a master roll container, and the photosensitive film is unwound from the master roll, and then photosensitive film magazines are assembled from the unwound photosensitive film and related parts. After that, the photosensitive film magazines are accommodated in photosensitive film magazine containers by another apparatus so as to provide film magazines packed in containers. PA1 A parts box in which a large number of parts are accommodated is previously set inside of the apparatus under the dark room condition, and parts are taken out from the parts box so as to assemble photosensitive film magazines. The assembled photosensitive film magazines are accommodated in a product box, and the product box is taken out from the inside maintained under the dark room condition. PA1 inspecting said photosensitive film magazine one by one; successively feeding said inspected photosensitive film magazine to said container accommodation section through a predetermined passage; and setting only good photosensitive film magazine into a photosensitive film magazine container in accordance with the result of the inspection.
Then, some photosensitive film magazines packed in containers are sampled so as to be inspected.
In the photosensitive film magazine manufacturing apparatus described above, operations are carried out in the following manner:
A master roll container is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Application Open to Public Inspection No. 190546/1982. According to the technique, an operator manually charges a master roll in a dark room into the master roll container having light shielding properties. This master roll container is manually conveyed out from the dark room. Alternatively, this master roll container is conveyed out from the dark room by a carriage. Then, the master roll is manually set at a master roll supply section of a photosensitive film magazine manufacturing apparatus. After that, the empty master roll container is conveyed out by the operator.
Basically, only one type photosensitive film magazine is manufactured by one photosensitive film magazine manufacturing apparatus. Therefore, when the type of a photosensitive film magazine is changed, the master roll container is manually changed.
Technique to unwind a photosensitive film from a master roll is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Open to Public Inspection Nos. 119555/1986 and 162662/1989. According to the disclosed technique, two master rolls are provided in a master roll unwinding means, and while one master roll is being unwound, the other master roll are prepared. These operations are alternately carried out.
Photosensitive film magazine assembling technique is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Application Open to Public Inspection No. 305353/1988, in which a magazine body member is supplied to a spool around which a photosensitive film has been wound.
According to the technique of the prior art, in the case where defective photosensitive films are manufactured due to the leak of light or mechanical problems, this batch of photosensitive film magazines are discarded by the operator.
In order to set a parts box and a product box into the photosensitive film manufacturing apparatus in a dark room condition, or in order to remove the parts box and the product box from the photosensitive film manufacturing apparatus, it is necessary to provide a double door structure including inner and outer doors so as to maintain light shielding properties. As a result, the structure becomes complicated.
In the case where the inner and outer door opening and closing operations are not appropriately performed, rays of light leak into the film magazine manufacturing apparatus, and fog occurs in the products, resulting in the occurrence of defective products.
Further, when the inner and outer doors are alternately opened and closed so as to set and remove the parts and product boxes, it takes the time. Therefore, it is difficult to improve the productivity of manufacture of photosensitive film magazines.
Furthermore, whereas a large number of parts are put in the parts box and a large number of photosensitive film magazines are put in the product box, they tend to be damaged or deformed when they are crashed in the boxes.
Furthermore, whereas it is necessary to provide spaces to install the parts box and the product box, it is difficult to reduce the size of the photosensitive film magazine manufacturing apparatus.
Furthermore, whereas only one master roll is accommodated in one master roll container, the master roll container must be frequently supplied, so that much labor is required.
Furthermore, the master roll container is manually set in a master roll supply position in the photosensitive film manufacturing apparatus. Therefore, the operators must work in a dark room, which causes various problems from the viewpoint of safety. Whereas the master roll is heavy, its handling is a hard labor for the operator.
Furthermore, there are provided two sets of master roll unwinding means in one photosensitive film magazine manufacturing apparatus. Accordingly, the structure of the manufacturing apparatus is complicated, and the costs are increased. Moreover, in the case of recovery of the residual master rolls, two master rolls must be recovered, which requires a cumbersome job.
In the case where a photosensitive film magazine is assembled, a magazine body is supplied to a spool around which a photosensitive film has been wound. In the case where the magazine body is not supplied, the spool around which a photosensitive film has been wound must be returned to a conveyance line, so that the detection and control become complicated. Furthermore, while the photosensitive film wound round the spool is conveyed by the conveyance line, a conveyance jig is required to prevent the film from loosening. Therefore, the cost of the manufacturing apparatus is increased. Sometimes, the conveyance jig is disconnected from the spool around which the photosensitive film has been wound, so that the manufacturing apparatus can not be stably operated.
In the case of occurrence of defective films caused by the stoppage of machines or the leak of light, the operator discards all the photosensitive film magazines of the same batch. Accordingly, even when some of the photosensitive film magazines are good, all of them are discarded, which causes a big loss.
In the case where the defective films are not realized by the operator, they are packed in the form of a photosensitive film magazine packed in a container. The occurrence of the defective films is not found until they are inspected in the process of a sampling test. Accordingly, there is a possibility that the loss is further increased.